Deserved award for an important role model

Saturday

Nov 29, 2008 at 3:15 AM

Dana Mitchell has influenced the lives of young men and women throughout his career in Dover law enforcement. This month he received an award he richly deserved.

Mitchell became the recipient of the Robert B. Kerr Award, the highest honor paid by Breathe New Hampshire — an organization dedicated to furthering lung health in the Granite State. The award is in the name of the group's founding executive director and was first given in 1966.

We know Mitchell is deserving of the prestigious award because we know of his work with students in both Dover Middle School and Dover High School. He played an important role in getting young people to understand the health risks of using tobacco and other addictive substances dangerous to everyone's health. The impression he made on those young men and women resulted in their carrying the message to their peers.

Mitchell's presence also resulted in healthy respect on the part of young people who in many instances came to see law enforcement personnel as counselors — people they could trust as mentors and advisers. There are men and women who have gone on to graduate from colleges and universities who still speak of their respect and admiration for the man who taught them so much and who served as such a positive example.

Dana Mitchell joined the Dover Police Department in 1977 and rose through the agency to achieve the rank of captain. He retired from his sworn position in 2003, but remained a civilian department employee coordinating the local Youth to Youth Program — a program he founded in Dover.

Breathe New Hampshire said of Mitchell: "Under his supervision members of Dover's Youth to Youth have created a myriad of tobacco prevention related public service announcements for radio and print; created multimedia school-based presentations which have been presented internationally; assisted the youths to propose, draft and ultimately (get local ordinances passed); provide the youths with the skills to testify at N.H. legislative hearings; and accomplish other related tasks."

Dana Mitchell has done a lot for Dover's youth and in doing so has done much for Dover in addition to his 26 years as a sworn member of the Police Department.

People like Dana Mitchell have played and continue to play an important part in the mature growth of Dover.

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